• Home
    • About
  • Prayer Diary
  • Daily Quote
    • Untitled
    • Archives Quote musings 2012
    • Archives, Quote musings 2011
  • Word & Image
  • Resource List
  • Books
  • Prayers and Poems
  • Spiritual Books
  • Archives, scripture
  A Prayer Diary

Daily gratitudes

10/12/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
​I’ve expressed many prayers of gratitude in the past few weeks: for the healthy arrival of a friend’s granddaughter; for the comforting passage of a friend onto hospice; for God leading me to visit a friend in the hospital; for my parents (married October 12, 1935.
      There is the early morning start of the day between my husband and me: What are you grateful for this morning?
      There are the daily gratitudes I learned from my mother: Every morning I thank God for friends and family, my health, my life, and my faith.  
     The challenge is to keep expressing gratitude throughout the day, which  is easier to do when I start the day being thankful. 

0 Comments

Choose to Be Grateful. It Will Make You Happier

11/24/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture

Thanksgiving is upon us and as you know, gratitude isfoundational to my life, the gift my mom gave me and so many others. We can be thankful, grateful, however you want to phrase it, in personal prayer, but what about expressing it out in the world? Sharing gratitude changes us, changes others, changes the world.
Arthur C. Brooks, in “Choose to Be Grateful. It Will Make You Happier” (NYT, November 21, 2015), offers some suggestions, but please, read the entire text.
• Acting happy, regardless of feelings, coaxes one’s brain into processing positive emotions.
• Choosing to focus on good things makes you feel better than focusing on bad things.
• Choosing gratitude can also bring out the best in those around us.
• Move to “exterior gratitude.” Write two short emails each morning to friends, family or colleagues, thanking them for what they do.
• Be grateful for useless things.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/opinion/sunday/choose-to-be-grateful-it-will-make-you-happier.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
Am posting this on my cottagebythesea blog as well.

0 Comments

Very grateful--the foundation of faith~

7/7/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
     I keep thinking of gratitude as the core, the foundation of faith. Notice how the Psalmist often starts by thanking God for creation, and how St. Paul begins and ends his letters with gratitude. And of course ‘very grateful’ was my mom’s favorite expression of faith, the last words she uttered before she died at 101.

     The moment I wake up I try to think of specific things that I’m grateful for, but I must confess that my mind usually slips into the mundane planning of the day ahead, or to any worries that I’m still carrying around from the day before. But I’m getting better, and before the day is too far along, I try to write down at least five ‘gratitudes’ in my journal.

       And the city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the Glory of God is it’s light and it’s lamp is the Lamb. Rev. 21.23

    This morning’s reading from Revelations sparked the thought that God is inherent in every gratitude, and that if I can just remember to find a blessing in everything that I experience, God will always be present to me. This seems like a worthy practice because how easy it is to slip away from God, to forget to light the lamp, to see Christ in all things.

    So, my challenge is to keep noticing little blessings as I go through the day.


0 Comments

All shall be well~

9/21/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
      Monday I had Mohs surgery to take care of a squamous cell carcinoma on my face. All went well and I’ve had no bothersome repercussions such as a head ache or bruising; the only thing I had to deal with was an oversized bandage but that’s gone now.

      Other than my immediate family and a couple of friends, I didn’t tell anyone about the impending surgery and I only asked one person to pray for me. I considered contacting the church prayer group, but decided to keep it private.

       “Why?”
        I’m always asking myself, “Why?”

        My simple answer is that I didn’t want a lot of attention about it, and that is true. It’s not that I don’t need prayers or that I am too proud to ask. The closest I can get to the truth is that I knew I would be fine, that the procedure would be brief and successful. As Julian of Norwich’s told us six hundred years ago, “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.”

        You see, it doesn’t seem right to send out a prayer request that I don’t need. Asking for prayers is no simple matter, nor is it something to abuse or treat lightly. On the other hand, once the surgery was over, and I couldn’t hide behind the huge white bandage, I began telling people about my experience. Maybe it was my way of thanking God and giving God some recognition. The more thanks and praise we offer God, the more God manifest his love in the world. Good begets good.   


0 Comments

Thanksgiving for Iona~

9/16/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
A gorgeous day today after all those days of rain and wind. To glimpse the fullness of God’s glorious creation and God’s awesome omnipotence, I suggest you read the Psalms. My photos are my humble offering of thanksgiving. Here are today’s offerings.
   (I thought i posted this a few days ago.)

0 Comments

Grace

9/9/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
It’s evening, the last day at my cottage near the sea on Skye. On Sunday, 9/11, I will be on Iona. I didn’t plan it that way, but what grace. As the day ends, I’m never much for words. But tonight on my final walk along the sea, I felt immense gratitude. In fact, on this trip I’ve been starting my prayer with praise and thanksgiving instead of intercession (or me and for others). How’s that for huge a shift? Starting prayer with God, not me. What grace!!


0 Comments
    Contact me
    bobbifisher.mac@mac.com

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    Categories

    All
    55 Maxims Of Fr. Hopko
    Amy Carmichael
    Anne Lamott
    Art
    Assisi
    Awe
    Bede Griffiths
    Benedict
    Bible
    Billy Graham
    Blessing
    Bliss
    Bonhoeffer
    Books
    Breathe
    Brigit
    Call
    Canticle Of The Sun
    Celtic Daily Prayer
    Centering Prayer
    Christ
    Christian Life
    Christmas
    Church
    Cloud Of Unknowing
    Coleridge
    Communion
    Compassion
    Contemplation
    Contemplation And Action
    Contemplation And Action
    Cottage By The Sea
    Craft
    Cross Roads
    Cynthia Bourgeault
    Dad
    Daily Prayer
    David Steindl-Rast
    Death
    Death And Dying
    Desert Mothers And Fathers
    Desiderata
    Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    Doris Grumbach
    Easter
    Edinburgh
    Emmet Fox
    Energy
    Ermetic Life
    Eve Kiley
    Everyday Simplicity
    Faith
    Fasting
    Father Maximos
    Fear
    Florence
    Food
    Forgiveness
    Frederick Buechner
    Friends
    Fruit Of The Spirit
    Gardens
    Gift
    Giving And Receiving
    Giving Thanks
    Giving Thanks
    God Moment
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Harold Rohheiser
    Healing
    Health
    Heart
    Hildegard De Bigen
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Hospitality
    Howard Thurman
    Humility
    Humor
    I Believe
    Icons
    Intercessory Prayer
    Intercessory Prayer
    Iona
    Iona Prayer Circle
    Ireland
    Italy
    James Martin
    Jeffrey M. Gallagher
    Jesus
    Jesus Prayer
    Joan Chittister
    Job
    Julian Of Norwich
    Kate Tristram
    Katherine Paterson
    Kazantzakis
    Kinds Of Prayer
    Kingdom
    Kyriacos C. Markides
    Laura Hillenbrand
    Lent
    Louie Zamparini
    Love
    Maranatha
    Margaret Bullitt Jonas
    Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
    Marsha Sinetar
    Martin B. Copenhaver
    Mary Luti
    Mary Oliver
    Matthew 25
    Max Ehrmann
    Meditation
    Meeting Jesus In The Gospel Of John
    Meister Eckhart
    Midrash
    Ministry
    Miracles
    Mom
    Monastery
    Monastery Of The Heart
    Mountain Of Silence
    Moving
    Music
    Mystery
    Nature
    Northumbria Community
    Now
    Oliver Herford
    Oswald Chambers
    Othona Community
    Outreach
    Oxyrtynchus Manuscript
    Pamela Dalton St. Francis
    Peace
    Phyllis Tickle
    Pilgrimage
    Pope Francis
    Praise
    Prayer
    Prayer List
    Prayer Questions
    Prayer Questions
    Prayer Shawls
    Prayer Walk
    Pray Without Ceasing
    Psalms
    Raven's Bread
    Reading
    Religious Orders
    Retreat
    Richard Rohr
    Robert J. Wicks
    Rome
    Ronald Rolheiser
    Ross King
    Rule Of Life
    Sabbath
    Sacred Places
    Sacrifice
    Scotland
    Scripture
    Silence
    Simone Weil
    Simplicity
    Sister Madonna Kolbenschlag
    Skye
    Society Of Saint John The Evangelist
    Sol
    Solitude
    Son Of Man
    Spiritual Exercises
    SSJE
    St Augustine685a78b5bd
    St Benedict2e69d019b8
    St Brigid8a489d0d27
    St Francisb0c25165c2
    St Francisda1a8c4071
    St Ignatius97c6861c0b
    Suffering
    Taize Lent743fec0e30
    Talking With God
    Thanksgiving
    The Reader
    Thomas Keating
    Thomas Merton
    Thomas-merton
    Thy Will Be Done
    Trinity
    Unbroken
    Upper Room
    Walking With God
    Walter Ciszek
    Way Of A Pilgrim
    Wm Paul Young757e23b986
    Wonder
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.